Heat-insulating material.



FRED w. wear, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY mnsnn ASSIGNMENTS, TO ISKO, Inconrorm'rnn, or nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN, A oonronarron or MICHIGAN.

HEAT-INSULATING MATERIAL.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED W. WOLF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Heat- Insulating Material; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description thereof. V

This invention relates to an article of manufacture comprising a heat insulating material and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The new article of manufacture is primarily intended for use as a heat insulator in the construction of refrigerators, cooling boxes and the like, but it will be understood that it is not limited thereto.

In the preferred use of the material, it provides a filler or packing between the usual double walls of the refrigerator.

My improved article of manufacture consists preferably of fragments of cork of various sizes, (that is to say, larger and smaller sizes) so that the fragments of cork may be made to substantially fill the space to be occupied by the material and of powdered or pulverized infusorial earth such as kieselguhr. In preference I use about 85 to 90% by weight of cork to about 15 or 10% of kieselguhr. The two are mixed together dry, somewhat in the manner that concrete is mixed. As a result of the mixture, the fragments of cork are coated or covered more or less with the finely divided fiour of the kieselguhr and the spaces between the fragments of cork are filled and occupied by the flour-like, smaller particles of the kieselguhr.

In the use of the material, as for example, when packing the space between the double walls of a refrigerator, the mixture is poured dry into the space. The refrigerator may then be shaken or jarred to settle the mixture so that all of the available space will be occupied and all corners and interstices between the larger fragments of the material. filled.

As is well known, cork in its natural, uncompressed state is not only a good heat insulator itself, but in addition contains a large number of non-communicating cells which are filled with air. If the fragments of cork alone are used as a packing there will be large inter-connecting air spaces throughout the conglomerate body composed of thefragments of cork and if in order to eliminate these Spaces the cork is compressed so as to bring the fragments closer together, the air contained in the cells of the cork is expelled by the pressure. The use of fragments of cork of various sizes minimizes and reduces the size of the air spaces between said fragments, while the use Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 19,1916.

Application filed September 11, 1914. Serial No. 861,195.

of the powdered or fl0ur-like kieselguhr,

which also contains air cells, fills up, without pressure or tamping, the spaces between the fragments of cork. Thus a substantially solid packing entirely filled throughout with innumerable non-communicating air cells is produced without expelling the air from the mixture. As a result the space to be occupied by the insulating material consists of a mixture of cork and earth filler which is permeated throughout with small bodies of the best known heat insulating substance, that is to say, air, and this air is so held in the packing that it is incapable of circulation and therefore of communicating the temperature from one side of the filler to another. Thus in the mixture the air spaces between the fragments of earth and cork are not only finely divided and reduced. in size, but are also sealed so that these spaces themselves become confined and cut ofi' from communication, so that as a result, all of the air has its absolute heat insulating efficiency. The result is the production of a heat insu lating material which has all the necessary advantages combined with the highest efliciency and also a material which is comparatively cheap and easy to handle both before and in the process of packing it in the space that it is to be used. It is light, in fact, much lighter than the nearest best insulator that could be obtained, namely, solid cork, which is almost prohibitive, not only in first cost, but also the cost and waste of handling when placing it in the refrigerator, and adds greatly to the weight of the refrigerator.

Kieselguhr is preferred as the infusorial earth, to mix with the cork fragments, since when mixed with cork fragments as described and substantially in the proportions mentioned, the kieselguhr particles will maintain their relative initial positions with respect to the cork fragments and will not settle toward the bottom of the compartments containing the insulating mixture. Another advantage of this material, particularly when used for insulating purposes on a refrigerator is to be noted. In the case of refrigerators on which is placed a refrigerating apparatus including a motor or other device adapted to produce vibrations, is that the material is a sound absorber and eliminates the noise generally occurring in contains air cells, or When in bulk contains air cells or is capable of inclosing air cells, may be used instead of the kieselguhr.

awaesa I claim as my invention: 7 1. A heat insulating material consistlng of a dry mixture of fragments of cork and of powdered kieselguhr, said insulating material containing a greater percentage of cork fragments than kieselg'uhr.'

2. A heat insulating material consisting ofa dry mixture of fragments of cork,of various sizes and of powdered kieselguhr, said insulating material containing a greater percentage of cork fragments than kieselguhr.

In testimony, that I, claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my si nature in the presence of two witnesses, this 29th .day of July A. D. 1914;.

. FRED w. WOLF;

Witnesses:

T. H. ALFREDS, KA L W. DOLL. 

